aeonium

If there's a good thing about our too-hot Southern California summers, it's that heat makes certain succulents turn color. A case in point is Aloe nobilis, which in my garden grows in nutrient-poor decomposed granite with minimal water. In winter, the same plant reverts to green. Such "stressed" succulents---which seal moisture in their leaves as [...]

When an aeonium elongates into bloom, you know the rosette is toast. But the flowers are spectacular. It's a life lesson: Enjoy the moment. Beauty is fleeting. This is Aeonium 'Zwartkop'. Fortunately, not all the rosettes on the plant bloom at once. Aeonium 'Sunburst' flowers are white, like the stripes on the leaves. It's pretty [...]

See the seahorse? It's sempervivums planted in vertical panels. This was one of many lovely and unusual sights at the second annual Succulent Extravaganza at Succulent Gardens nursery in Castroville, CA last week. A terrace at the nursery is planted with Agave 'Blue Glow' (foreground) and Agave 'Blue Flame' (background). One-third of my forthcoming book, [...]

Your front porch is the first room of your home guests see. It sets the stage, reveals how tidy you are, and how much the aesthetics of your environment matter to you. A porch also can be a semi-public sitting area, combining elements of indoors and out. A red aeonium in the garden echoes the [...]